Take the Pain Away
by Moonlight102310
Summary: A letter a day, keeps the pain away…SasuxSaku, Rated M.
1. Prologue: Letter 1836

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. The plot for this story is mine.

**AN: While I know I should be writing plenty of chapters for my other stories, I just couldn't get this stupid idea out of my head. So, I don't know where this story will go, but here's the prologue. Feedback is always nice! Listen to Exo-M's 'What is Love' while reading this. It's fantastic! Enjoy and Review! **

_Summary: A letter a day, keeps the pain away… _

_Dear Uchiha, _

She angrily scrawled through the greeting and sighed. She tapped her pen against the paper, the words she wanted to say swirling around in her head. How difficult was it to get on paper?

_Dear Sasuke-kun,_

She grit her teeth as she balled up the paper and tossed it across the room to join the other balls near the trashcan. Her fingers delicately slipped out another piece of paper and set it on her wooden desk. Her jade eyes quickly strayed to the pile of medical textbooks she should be studying right now before slipping back to the blank piece of paper. Her tongue slipped out of her mouth as she set to writing.

_Letter 1,836_

_Dear Sasuke, _

_I hope this letter finds you well and that you're doing okay out there. I don't know exactly where you are, or just what you're doing well. Things are the same here in Konoha. Naruto's being the usual idiot that you probably remember. Although he and Hinata finally got together! _

_Kakashi…is Kakashi. He's always reading his usual book. You probably remember how we tried to sneak that book away from him from time to time. Well, he finally let me read it. Needless to say…well…nevermind. _

_I miss you. I know it's stupid of me to say it, but I do. While it's nice to see everyone in our group of friends getting together, I feel lonely. Ino-pig says I'm going end up a spinster if I don't put myself out there and date some guys. _

Her long pink hair fell over her shoulder as her shoulders hunched. She stared at her writing through cold crystal tears. How was it possible that after 5 years she still cried with each letter she wrote? She sighed and let the tears drip on the paper before she continued to write.

_I don't know why I continue to write these letters to you. I never get a response and it seems that you never get these. That or you just don't care, which I believe fully. After nearly 2000 letters, you probably believe I'm stupid for doing this. Well I don't care. I don't care what you think. _

_You're smirking at this. If you were reading this over my shoulder you'd say "A shinobi doesn't show emotions." Well, thanks, because that's my one flaw. But I've learned to embrace that flaw Sasuke. _

_Why am I even telling you all this? I still have our old team 7 picture. Your stubborn face reminds me of how long you've been gone. I guess at this point it'd be stupid to wish for you to come home still. _

_I guess I'm stupid then._

_There's no point to me writing to you. I know there's no point. But somehow, writing these letters takes a little bit of the pain away. _

_While it's wishful thinking to hope I'll ever hear from you, I hope I do. I feel as if I'm losing my mind while writing these blasted letters. Maybe I am losing my mind. _

Another tear weaved its way down her cheek and fell on the ink, blotting it against the paper and smearing it against the other words. The girl sighed and angrily wiped at her eyes, hoping to get rid of the evidence before any of her team saw. Knowing them, they would be here soon and if they saw she was still crying over him, she'd never hear the end of it; even Naruto had given up on the Uchiha. Her pen tapped the end of the paper before she let out her last thought.

_I said I loved you. I don't remember what love is anymore. I guess I'll never know. _

_I don't honestly know how to end this letter. This seems such more down then my usual letters. While I'd say that I hope you're safe, I can't find it in me to say it. If you don't care why should I? We all know I do though. _

_I'll take a page out of your book and quote you. Whatever then. _

_As much as I hate it…I love you. _

_-Sakura _

She quickly folded up the paper and stuck it into an envelope. She repeated the familiar address that she had burned into her memory before standing and gazing around the room. Her eyes fell on the box located under her bed. She dropped to her knees and pulled the box out. Inside the large box were hundreds of letters, sealed, but never sent. She angrily stared at them before shoving the box back under her bed and standing with the letter she had just written. She walked slowly through her apartment and to the door where it was sunny outside. She inhaled deeply as she walked down the steps. She adjusted her red hi-ate as she walked down the street full of children and villagers; all who knew her by name.

Her jade eyes were set on the small box located just next to Ichiraku's ramen. For the first time in five years, she would do this. She would force herself to do it. Her nails clenched the envelope as her heels clicked down the road. The moment she was in front of the box, she stopped. Her heart pounded inside her chest as she raised her hand and gazed at her handwriting. Could she do this? Could she send this letter to him?

Without missing a beat, she dropped it into the slot and froze. For the first time in five years, she had sent him a letter; a letter that she didn't know if he would even get. It took a small piece of her pain away as she stepped back and turned around.

For the first time in five years, Sakura Haruno finally sent Sasuke Uchiha a letter. A letter that would eventually turn her life upside down, and send her into a world she didn't understand. But her scars, the ones she tried to hide through her writing, would surface and possibly change her life indefinitely.

Sakura Haruno had sent a letter…that took the pain away for the better…

**AN: Honestly…I don't know where this will go. We'll see! **


	2. Letter 1923

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters! The plot for this story is mine!

**AN: Been a while neh? Forgive me. School and work took over my life. I haven't exactly decided where to take this story yet, but I hope you'll all enjoy it nonetheless. Enjoy and review! **

FALL:

Sakura Haruno sighed as she straightened the nurse's cap on her head. The stupid pins refused to stay and the cap kept flowing down the sea of pink hair that collected behind her. The Anbu grumbled to herself as she made her way down the hospital's sterile hallways, a never ending migraine starting to make it's way into her head as she neared the nurses station.

She could guess the migraine would be from half of the civilian nurses screaming about the party being thrown in the village tonight. It was a low-key celebration, well according to Ino, low key meant out of control.

Her jade eyes watched as they swung their invites around, squealing each time a shinobi's name was mentioned to be there. The pink haired kunoichi snorted and turned in her clipboard and stalked back to her office. Being the apprentice of the Hokage had its perks after all, and getting a private office was one of them. She slammed the door a little too hard, nearly groaning when it swung back off it's hinges.

"Geez Forehead…what's got you angry?"

Sakura didn't feel the need to peer up at Ino, knowing she was here to try and talk Sakura into going out to this stupid festival. Sakura inched towards the desk and reached for her keys, only to have Ino snatch them from her hands. "Ino…I'm not in the mood."

"You're never in the mood, now come on and tell me what's wrong."

Sakura reached for the keys only to have Ino dance out of the way and stick them down her shirt. Sakura narrowed her eyes, "Just give me my damn keys and let me go home. I'm exhausted."

Ino ignored her best friend, "It is Friday night and I'm leaving on a 2 month mission tomorrow! There's no way you're getting out of this party tonight!"

Sakura really couldn't care less. The letter inside her back pocket was itching to be finished and shoved away just like all the other ones. Ever since the incident over 4 years ago, 18 year old Sakura didn't care about people or socializing. She cared about her job and her training. It's what he would have wanted right? Sakura removed the irritating cap from her head, "Ino…I have an early shift here tomorrow. I don't have time to even be partying."

Sakura didn't wait for a reply as she reached forward and snagged her house keys from Ino. The pink-haired girl ignored the yelling coming from her best friend and darted out of her office, her feet taking her to the entrance as fast as she could run.

The village was in whole swing with celebrations—what celebration she couldn't remember but obviously didn't care about. She cared about the letter burning in her back pocket as she walked fast through the streets, avoiding eye contact with everyone who dared to look at her.

The letter she had penned earlier was short, much like the rest of them. Though this time, she had the overwhelmingly desire to send it. Sakura sighed and rubbed her forehead, the headache only getting worse as she debated back and forth about the words she had poured onto paper earlier. She sighed as she took it out and opened it, nearly cringing at how self-defeating she sounded.

_Letter 1,923_

_Uchiha, _

_I guess I've reverted back to using your last name. It's probably what you'd want me to be calling you anyway considering we were never close anyway. _

_I still don't understand why I bother to write to you. Nothing good comes out of these letters. I don't get any peace from knowing how you are considering I've never even heard a response from you. _

_So I guess…how are you? Cliché I know. I'm alright…I guess. Depends on how you define alright. You could define it as alone and being okay with that. I guess that's what I am. I'm rambling now aren't I? _

_The village is holding some huge festival tonight, but from what I gather it's nothing more then some huge party in which I have no interest in. _

_It amazes me at how the girls in the village fall at the idea of a party. What's so good about it? Heh, now I sound like you. You probably don't care though. _

_I know you probably don't care about my trivial issues and you don't care about me. I get it though…I really do. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't care either. _

_There's no point in me even telling you this…but-_

"Oof!" Sakura stumbled and fell to her knees, the letter in her hands falling to the ground in front of her eyes as she struggled to get on her hands.

"Are you okay?"

Sakura saw a hand in front of her face and she took it, feeling a strong grasp encircle her fingers as she was pulled to her feet. Her eyes roamed over the figure of Neji Hyuuga, his silver eyes shining with it's usual shield of caution and heaviness. Behind the caution and heaviness though, she could see a faint sparkle of worry and concern.

Sakura brushed off her knees and nodded, "I'm alright, I'm sorry I bumped into you…I was—"

"Reading this?" Neji asked as he picked up the letter from the ground. Sakura reached out and snatched it from his hand as he slowly read it over. His guarded eyes looked at Sakura carefully, watching as she folded the letter and put it back in her pocket. She bowed to him and waved, "See you later Neji-san, enjoy the festival."

Just as she turned to walk away Neji stepped forward, "Sakura."

Sakura turned back to her old childhood friend, curious and slightly panicked that he had held her back, "Yes?"

Neji struggled to breathe. He had known that Sakura had usually shied away from people and tended to stay alone these days. He knew because Ino blabbed on and on about it to both him and Shikamaru. Like Sakura, they too had veered away from people. But now seeing Sakura here, he couldn't help but want to keep talking with her.

"Neji…"

Neji snapped out of his thoughts and looked back at Sakura, coughing to regain his composure. "Hokage-sama summoned you."

Sakura sighed and nodded, "Figures…the old woman can't stop drinking for one damn night."

Neji smiled a small smile and nodded towards the tower, "I'll walk you."

The walk was silent and rather awkward for Sakura as she held onto her arms and stayed a good distance away from Neji. She was glad though to get away from the loud noises and bright lights. She just wanted to sleep without getting accosted by so many people.

The stairs creaked with each step as the two made their way to the top of the tower and towards the two Anbu standing outside. Sakura knocked, getting a rather irritated, "Enter," in reply.

Neji allowed her in first and Sakura wasn't amused to see most of her team there in addition to Shikamaru. Her jade eyes swept across the room as she took in the pissed off looks of Sai and Naruto and irritated faces of Yamamoto and Kakashi. Shikamaru gave her an apologetic look as Tsunade set down the scroll in her hand. "Took you two long enough."

"Sorry Shishou…"

Neji crossed his arms, "She's here now so tell her."

Before Tsunade could open her mouth Naruto spoke up, "There's no way she's ready for this. Have you not seen the way it's eaten her alive?"

Sakura narrowed her eyes, "Just what the hell is going on?"

Tsunade did nothing but toss the scroll to her apprentice knowing it was her choice to make. Sakura caught the scroll easily, and opened it slowly. Her jade eyes read over the smooth brushstrokes carefully, taking in each and every word. She understood why everyone was on edge now. The mission was a seduction and reconnaissance mission. Only it was for tracking bandits who had been in contact with Akatsuki. She suddenly felt the letter in her pocket burn against her side, and her heart pound. She saw however that this mission wasn't with her normal time. Now, she was going with Anbu, more specifically Neji Hyuuga and Shikamaru Nara.

Her eyes swept up back at the Hokage, "You can get another medic for this…I'm not the only medic."

Tsunade smirked, "You should understand better than that why I'm sending you."

Sakura looked back down at the scroll, reading it once more. The bandits she was supposed to be interrogating didn't just have general information on Akatsuki. No, they had specific information about a member. That member what the one who had torn out her heart in the first place: Sasuke Uchiha.

Now she completely understood why her team had been against it and Tsunade was for it. She was sick of the girl cowering behind her fears. Neji grunted from his spot beside her, "You don't have to go."

She looked up at the two Anbu, "You both side with Naruto?"

"We side with what's best Sakura, you know that."

Her eyes narrowed as she turned back to her mentor. Tsunade knew just exactly what to do to tug at her heartstrings. She nodded, "It may be your only chance for him to see everything that has changed."

She knew what she meant. Tsunade meant the letters that riddled her apartment in boxes, waiting for a chance to be heard. Naruto growled, "The bastard could kill her."

"You were once wanting to bring him home Naruto."

Naruto grumbled and crossed his arms. It was true that he still wanted the Uchiha home, but not at the cost of Sakura's life and pain. He'd rather work on making her happy here before letting Sasuke ruin it all over again. "It's too dangerous."

Sakura peered quietly at her team. The look of guilt on their faces screamed why they were against her going. "You doubt me…you think I'll be weak against him."

Kakashi remained silent as he stared at the girl he thought of as a daughter. It wasn't fair to go alone. Sasuke was his student…it should be his mission. Sakura then peered at her two friends, "You two...requested to go."

Shikamaru grimaced and chuckled, "Perceptive."

Neji crossed his arms, "As much I hate to admit it, Naruto is right." He ignored Naruto's shouts and whines in the background. "There's no way you're ready for a mission like this."

Tsunade looked straight at the girl, knowing exactly what she would say. She leaned back, "I think you should let her decide."

Sakura looked down at her feet for a while, her hand playing with the paper in her pocket. This could be her chance. Her chance to finally take away the pain that had dug it's way inside her and left her empty. Sakura lifted her head, "Mission accepted."

IN OTOGAKURE:

Sasuke shifted in his bed, his eyes staring at the ceiling as he struggled to fall asleep. The letter he had dug out of the box earlier rested next to his head, unopened. He knew the handwriting from anywhere. He struggled to understand why Sakura had bothered to write him.

He finally gave in and snatched the letter from its spot and tore it open. As his eyes scanned its contents, he peered at the number at the top. Letter 1,836? This was the first one he had ever received from the girl who continually plagued his thoughts.

Anger drew up inside him as he read the letter over once more. Where were all the other letters? If she had written him everyday, where were all her thoughts and love she claimed to have for him?

The part that bothered him the most is that he knew he wouldn't let this go. With Itachi dead, he had another goal to achieve. Who better to help him then the girl who writes her heart in letters hoping to take the pain away? His eyes closed contentedly, a sadistic smirk crossing his face. She need not worry anymore…she'd be back with him soon.

For good.

**AN: I feel somehow as if this story could be somewhat of a prequel to my story Fated Passions…hm…Idk we'll see. I apologize for how slow it starts off. I'll get to the good stuff soon! Sorry if it was a bit boring! **


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